Crock Pot cooking on the cheap *Whole Foods Market post

Oh how I love my slow cooker for cold weather meals for my family. Pinterest is my go-to place for recipes. Whole Foods for my bulk food purchases of quinoa, popcorn, dry beans and rice. With all the prep and mess of Thanksgiving, I think I'll take a break from cooking and use the slow cooker this week! Here's some ideas to save money using your slow cooker (or Crock Pot) from Whole Foods Market! *sponsored post

Check out WholeFoodsMarket.com for some great Thanksgiving meal ideas, including how to brine your bird, carve your turkey, breakfast ideas for morning guests, and showstopping dishes to impress. 

source

Value Meats and the Return of the Crock Pot:

Every day, Whole Foods Market offers exceptional values, and during the holidays, who doesn’t want a quality cut of meat at an exceptional price? With the weather turning a bit cooler and the nights lasting longer, now is the perfect time for braising and roasting, and the perfect opportunity to return to our old friend, the Crock Pot! Below are 5 tips for Slow Cooking Success:

·         Go budget-friendly – ingredients like beans, whole grains, and spices available in Whole Foods Market’s bulk section, let you buy the exact amount you need and experiment with many products at once for a great price

·         Trim the fat – too much fat left on meat will give you an unpleasant texture, and having to skim lots of fat at the end of cooking is not enjoyable

·         Think ahead – keep “kits” of chopped fresh veggies and meats in the freezer. That way, you’ll be ready to toss these ingredients in the Crock Pot in the morning in no time at all, with dinner ready by the time you come home!

·         Stay on Trend – save money while staying trending! Cheaper cuts of meat are all the rage at the top rated restaurants right now, and a crock-pot is the perfect tool to master these cuts at home. Thighs, beef chuck, brisket, shin, shoulders, oxtail; when cooked nice and slow these can be the most delicious bites.

·         Sear First – don’t forget to sear your meat first. Browned meat taste better, and the slow cooker does not get hot enough to get that done. For optimal taste, sear first then slow cook to lock in the moisture. (Except when it comes to chicken)

Recipes:

·         Slow Cooker Classic Pot Roast

·         Slow Cooker Pork and Cider Stew

·         Braised Beef Ribs

Fire Safety for Kids

There's always time to discuss fire safety with your kids. With the holidays come increased risk of accidents related to burns and fires. Here is a great info graphic brought to you by contractor quotes.us. You can find more tips and activities at their site here! 

Black Friday Shopping tips

Black Friday Shopping has started. Yes. Now. As soon as the ads have been leaked, it has started. If you are like me, and have little time and little money, this is kind of a big deal. In the past, my family has gotten about 80% of our Christmas shopping done on Black Friday. The rules and methods are changing now with some stores opening on Thanksgiving day. The addition of Cyber Monday, and sales starting even weeks before Black Friday, has made this a whole new game.

Here's a few tips based on tips I found over at LOZO.com. I'll break them down for you and add my "real life" input. (If you want their whole story, you can find it here.)

1. Start shopping online first. BF traditionally was about what was available in-store, but now you can find basically the same deals online. Starting early, like two weeks before Black Friday, will give you a good gauge on what's a deal and what's a usual discount. You need to see how low will they go pre-sales and then check them on Black Friday fliers and after. If that's too much documenting - check your prices online before you go to the store. (I'm known to actually search for the item when I'm there.) About everyone will price match to have your business. If they don't - have it ready to "add to cart" and check out online. Make sure your price takes into consideration shipping, as if it isn't free shipping that might be a reason a store would not match, but I have rarely, lately had anyone even ask anymore. It's kind of a given that if you find if for less somewhere else - they'll match it. I have gotten zero attitude about price matching at Target and Best Buy. These guys want your business. If you can bring a flyer or printed copy of the item and price - even better. Amazon, our go-to for almost everything we buy, is usually already at the lowest prices that Best Buy and Wal-Mart have so make sure you do your legwork and try to find other competitors that may have it listed less.
Amazon is still my top choice for online shopping, especially for gifts.

2. Cash back sites will multiply your savings. I have done this in the past, and I am terrible at remembering, but it's a no-brainer. Sites like Ebates all have cash back rebates if you purchase through their sites. Plus it's a great place to find coupon codes and deals on the internet. It's free money to click the links on their page that take you to the sites you want to buy from. Sign up for an account now at Ebates and you'll get a $5 credit to your account after your first $25 purchase. Click here.

3. Make a list. You have to know what you need to buy or the impulse purchases will run over your budget as some of the deals out there are hard to pass up. Just a word from an experienced Black Friday Pro - this is the best time of year to find deals on outerwear: coats, hats, gloves, scarves; electronics. (LED T.V.'s, game consoles, games) Pajamas for the whole family. Toys. jewelry, and
clothing, and small appliances. I wait until Black Friday to buy my kids their winter coats if it is at all possible as until winter clearance rolls around it is the lowest they'll go.

4. Utilize your apps. Your smartphones have access to many apps that can help you find deals quickly. From scanning barcodes, and pictures, to having circulars listed all in one app, you can use your smartphone to shop smarter. If you have an Android, even Google goggles is a great resource for deals. If you have the Amazon shopping app there is a barcode option you can use to scan anything you may be looking at to check the price comparison, and Redlaser will scan a barcode and search other online sites for you for comparison. Check out a list of some good apps to have on iphone at appolicious.com

Here's a few Black Friday Ads some out today to get you started.
Kohl's
Target
Amazon

*This post may contain affiliate links.

Target Black Friday and FREE Shipping 2015

*contains affiliate links* WCM's may receive a small commission for each purchase made through this site. Thanks for your support.

Target Black Friday deals are out. Start making your lists, and see the one-day deals coming up at this link. 

And there's no shame in online shopping with free shipping for all orders now until December 25th, 2015!! That beats standing in lines and dealing with crowds hands down. 

Save an extra 5% off holiday decor, 20% off Kitchenaid, cutlery, and tools and gadgets through 11/14, and it's Holiday Home Prep week all week with 20% off Home decor, furnishings and accessories. Save an extra $10 when you spend $50 or an extra $25 when you spend $100 with promo code HOME.

*affiliate links WCM may receive a small commission for each purchase made through this site. Thanks for your support.